Motor driven shaving means individually mounted on the user&#39;s fingers



April 18 1967 F w. COOKSEY 3,314,146

MOTOR DRIVEN SHAVING MEANS INDIVIDUALLY MOUNTED ON THE USER'S FINGERS Filed NOV. 4, 1964 INVENTOR. mv/f WL fao/fs y A fiorngyg United States Patent M 3 314 146 MOTOR DRIVEN SHA VIN G MEANS INDIVIDUAL- LY MOUNTED ON THE USERS FINGERS Frank W. Cooksey, 508 Baker Drive, Birmingham, Ala. 35213 Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 408,961

1 Claim. (Cl. 3043.6)

This invention relates to a mot-or driven shaver and more particularly to a dry shaver having rotary cutter elements individually mounted on the users fingers.

An object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver which shall embody an electric power unit operatively connected to a plurality of rotary cutter elements which in turn are detachably connected to the fingers of a user.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver of the character designated which will not irritate the skin of the user and at the same time will provide close shaves due to the fact that the cutter elements move with the tips of the fingers of a user.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver of the character designated which shall be particularly adapted for reaching hard to shave places, such as along convexly curved or concavely curved surfaces since the, individual cutter elements are adapted to move relative to each other as the fingers of the user pass over the area being shaved.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver of the character designated which shall be detachab'ly connected to the hand of the user thereby reducing the chances of the shaver being dropped.

I Another-object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver which shall produce a cooler shave due to the fact that the power unit remains a substantial distance from.the surface being shaved.

A further object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver of the character designated which shall have finger-tip control and one in which the user has a natural feeling of position due to the fact thatthe rotary cutter elements are carried by and moved with the finger-tips of a user.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a motor driven shaver of the character designated which shall be simple of construction, economical of manufacture and one which produces a massage action as the rotary cutter elements are moved over the surface being shaved.

Heretofore in the art to which my invention relates, many types of electric shavers have been proposed. However, with such shavers, it is difficult to reach some places on the human face and body comfortably due to the fact that the cutter head surfaces are relatively large and do not follow the contour of the face or body. In accordance with my invention, I provide a plurality of individually actuated cutter elements which are carried by the finger-tips of a user whereby the cutter elements may reach any surface to be shaved with a minimum of effort by merely moving or stroking the finger-tips over the surface to be shaved.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing my improved shaver attached to the hand of a user;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away and in section, showing the means for operatively connecting the flexible drive shafts to the motor;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental view looking at the face of one of the rotary cutter elements;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

3,314,146 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmental view showing the means for operatively connecting the flexible drive shafts to the individual cutter elements; and,

FIG. 6 is a fragmental sectional view showing the manner in which the flexible drive shafts are connected to the power unit.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, 1 show an electric motor indicated generally at 10 having an outwardly projecting motor shaft 11, as shown in FIG. 2. Power is supplied to the motor 10 by suitable means, such as an electrical cord indicated generally at 12. However, it will be apparent that power to the motor 10 may be supplied by a battery or the like.

Extending downwardly and inwardly from the motor 10 are a pair of oppositely disposed adjustable spring clamp members 13 which are adapted to partially encircle the hand of a user indicated generally at H. Preferably, the clamp members 13 are formed of a flexible or bendable material whereby the motor unit may be easily and adjustably mounted on the back of the hand H, as shown in FIG. 1, there-by accommodating the shaver for use with fingers of various lengths. That is, the clamp members 13 are adjustable relative to the motor housing.

The motor shaft 11 is sup-ported by suitable bearings 14 carried by the housing for the motor 10, as shown in FIG. 2. Mounted on the motor shaft 11 intermediate the bearings 14 is a gear 16 which meshes with gears 17 and 18 mounted at opposite sides thereof. The gears 17 and 18 are mounted on stub shafts 19 and 21, respectively, which in turn are mounted in suitable bearings 2-2. The gear 18 also meshes with a gear 23 mounted on a stub shaft 24 which in turn is also mounted in bearings 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the bearings 22 are also carried by the housing for the motor 10.

The outer ends of the shafts 11, 19, 21 and 24 are provided with an axially extending recess 26 adjacent the outer ends thereof for receiving one end of a flexible drive shaft 27, as shown in FIG. 6. The flexible drive shafts 27 are each surrounded by tube-like housings 28 which are formed of a suitable flexible material to permit free movement thereof. The tube-like housing 28 is provided with an enlarged diameter portion 29 which telescopes over an outwardly projecting sleeve 31 carried by the motor housing, as shown in FIG. 6, whereby the tubelike housing is attached firmly to the motor housing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the end of each flexible shaft 27 opposite the end thereof operatively connected to the motor extends inwardly of a housing 32 of a cutter head indicated generally at 35 having a rotary cutter element indicated generally at 33. The housing 32 is preferably circular, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and is provided with a removable plate 30 having a plurality of radially extending openings 34 therein for receiving hair whereby it is shaved by the rotary cutter elements 33. That is, the rotary cutter elements 33 rotate relative to the elongated slots or openings 34 formed in the housing 32 whereby the hair is severed as the rotary cutter elements 33 revole relative to the openings 34 and the portion of the housing 32 defining the opeings 34, as shown in FIG. 5. The rotary cutter elements 33 are carried by a rotary member, such as a beveled gear 36, which in turn is mounted for free rotation on a stub shaft 37. That is, bearings 38 are interposed between the bevel gear 36 and the shaft 37. The shaft 37 is secured to the housing 32, as shown.

Mounted on the flexible shaft 27 inwardly of the housing 32 is a bevel gear 39 which meshes with the bevel gear 36 to thereby impart rotary motion to the rotary cutter elements 33. The removable plate 30 is provided with resilient snap members 40 which engage the housing 32 to hold the same in place.

Secured to and projecting outwardly from each housing 32 is a loop-like or clamp-type member 41 which is adapted to receive various size finger-tips of the hand H, as shown in FIG. 1. The loop-like members 41 are preferably formed of separate sections, as shown, whereby the size thereof may be varied to fit fingers of various sizes. That is, the two sections form separate spring clamps which may be bent to various sizes and shapes.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved electric shaver will be rea dily understood. The finger-tips' are insertdiihvvardlythe clamps of the loop-like members 41 wherebly the openings 34 extend inwardly of the finger-tips, as shown. The motor unit 10 is attached to the hand H by flexing the spring clamps 13 away from each other and then positioning the clamps around the hand, whereby the motor unit 10 is carried by the back of a hand, as shown in FIG. 1. The rotary cutter units carried by the housings 32 may be attached to all four fingers of the hand H or may be connected to one or more finger-tips, as desired. The rotary cutter units not in operation may be detached.

-With the motor unit 10- and the clamp or loop-like members 41 attached to the hand of the user, current is supplied to the motor whereby rotary motion is imparted to the rotary cutter elements 31 through the individual flexible drive shafts 27. The finger-tips are moved or stroked over the face or body in a natural manner whereby the individual cutter units follow the contour of the surface to be shaved. To clean the shaver, the motor unit 10 and the loops 41 are removed from the hand of the user and the removable plate 30 of each housing 32 is removed whereby the interior of the housings 32 and the rotary cutter elements 33 may be thoroughly cleaned in a manner well understood in the art.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved electric shaver. By providing individual cutter elements which move with the fingers-tips of the user, the cutter elements move in a natural manner over the surface to be shaved to thereby assure a smooth and continuous shave, leaving palms and fingers free and unencumbered. Also, by providing individual rotary cutter units, one or more cutter units may be employed at a time. Furthermore, by providing simple means for attaching the device to the hand and removing the device from the hand, together with means for cleaning the individual rotary cutter units, the shaver may be employed with a minimum of effort.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

An electric shaver comprising:

(a) an electric motor and housing therefor,

(b) means carried by the motor housing for detachably attaching said motor to a hand,

(c) a plurality of cutter heads, each having a rotary cutter,

(d) means carried by each cutter head for detachably attaching said cutter head to a finger,

(e) a plurality of flexible drive shafts, each being operatively connected at one end to said motor, (f) a rotary drive member carried by each rotary cutter, and i r (g) other rotary drive members carried by the other ends of said flexible drive shafts and operatively connected to the first mentioned drive members carried by the rotary cutters.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,120 8/1894 Speare 12824.5 585,799 7/1897 Thompson 27267 2,720,696 10/1955 Wadsworth 3043.6 X 2,781,760 2/1957 Baer 128303 2,811,969 11/1957 Shubert 128-303 3,210,847 10/1965 Prufer 32-27 OTHER REFERENCES Schwidetzky: German printed application Sch. 13,043, October 1955.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

